Hathaway could be the star the Flames need for the 2019 post-season

These types of Stanley Cup playoff stories hit you right in the feels.

The unsung heroes, unlikely stars. Players who have scratched and clawed their way to the National Hockey League, earning their stripes every step of the way.

For the Washington Capitals last season, it was Devante Smith-Pelly, the gritty fourth-liner who equaled his goal total from the regular season (seven) in 24 playoff games.

For the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2017, Jake Guentzel turned heads as the third-round pick who stormed on the scene and made his mark as a rookie in the post-season.

And who could forget how Micheal Ferland became the ‘X’ factor for the Calgary Flames in 2015 during their two-round playoff run, the guy that laid down the smack on the Vancouver Canucks and, despite suffering a concussion, did his best to deter the Anaheim Ducks.

“You see teams that are successful have guys like that,” said Flames fourth-liner Garnet Hathaway as the team put their finishing touches on their first-round preparations. “They have guys that step up. Right now, I want us to be a successful team. I want to win the Stanley Cup. And we’re going to need guys to do that.

“My goal is to be one of them. My goal is to help as much as I can.”

Hathaway is not an offensive wizard like Johnny Gaudreau. He’s not a playmaker like Sean Monahan, a shutdown forward like Mikael Backlund, or a post-season veteran like James Neal.

But the 27-year-old’s style of play is, arguably, built for this time of the year. And despite having zero playoff games on his resume, this spring he could, potentially, be an ‘X’ factor for the Flames.

“He’s a young guy still,” said Flames head coach Bill Peters the other day, fielding questions about his effective fourth-liner who plays on the wing with Derek Ryan and Andrew Mangiapane. “He came out of college and did it the hard way, signing as a free agent.

“He keeps getting better and better every year and has good summers, which is important for him. What kept him in the lineup was his penalty-killing ability, and all of a sudden, the line gets a little bit of momentum and you can’t take him out.”

Whip-smart — about hockey, people and life — Hathaway attended Brown University and played four seasons for the NCAA’s Bears before signing an American Hockey League deal with the Abbotsford Heat, which was the Flames’ top affiliate in 2013-14.

Fast-forward five springs, 173 AHL games and 175 NHL appearances, and you have a tale of perseverance. A feel-good type of story that is tailor-made for playoff coverage.

Full of you-know-what-and-vinegar, Hathaway led the team with 200 hits during the regular season and blocked 36 shots which was the third-best total among the Calgary club’s forwards. His presence on the penalty-kill unit was significant, so were his career-best 11 goals — five of them game-winners.

Hathaway has earned every inch of ice time he has been given this season, making it impossible for Peters to take him out of the lineup. Battling for the puck. Constantly putting himself in good positions. The things he does away from the puck.

He might not hit the scoresheet every night. But every night, you notice him.

Yet, just because the pace amps up on Thursday doesn’t mean he needs to re-invent the wheel.

“We have to focus on what got us here, what made us the team we are, right?” Hathaway said. “Fifty wins, 107 points — it’s not by accident. We did something right. These practices were us worrying about ourselves and making sure we had the details ready.”

And the idea of potentially becoming a cult hero on the Red Mile?

“The whole thing is exciting,” Hathaway said with a grin, referring to the thrill of the post-season. “The city is buzzing right now. The locker room is buzzing. The whole organization. Everyone’s excited.

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